HC refuses stay on Fan release

The petitioner, a scriptwriter, had alleged that Yash Raj Films stole his plot and did not give him due credit

The Bombay High Court on Monday refused to stay the release of Shah Rukh Khan-starrer Fan. The petitioner, claiming to be a scriptwriter, alleged that the plot of Fan was his, which he had thought for his movie Abhineta (actor).

A still from the film Fan

Mahesh Daijode, the petitioner, claimed that he has not been given credit for the script, which he had submitted in Aditya Chopra’s office. However, Yash Raj Films begs to differ.

“We have a protocol. Once we get a script, we give a receipt to the person. So, if the petitioner does not have a receipt, he has not submitted the script to us," said advocate Abhay Itali, who represented Yash Raj Films.

When Justice GS Patel enquired about the receipt, Manohar Shetty and Nasir Ali, the petitioner’s lawyers, said that neither does Daijode have a receipt nor does he remember when he had submitted the script.

Daijode further demanded that the film should be stayed till the time he is compensated. However, the court said that such applications filed just when the film is about to release cannot be entertained.

The court has kept June 8 as the date for next hearing. Fan is due for release on April 15.